Cleaning House & Other Resolutions

I am not typically one for New Year's resolutions, but this year I decided to challenge myself with a few. I love the idea of a fresh start.  A clean slate.  A new beginning.  It's a romantic thought, and my husband tells me that I love the "idea" of things, and that I romanticize the idea of things...that's why we have four children. I love the "idea" of babies.  Seriously, though...I LOVE babies, not just the idea of them.  I love the "idea" of puppies, kittens, baby chicks, collecting eggs, milking cows, riding horses, growing a garden...well, basically I love the "idea" of living on a farm.  I romanticize this idea.  I realize that farming is a reality for many people, and I envy them.  But, I have learned through experience that my mind let's me believe if I had a small farm I would love every single minute of it, and would never tire of it.  My husband, on the other hand, has learned to bring me back to reality because he knows that when I get an idea, that usually means more work for him when I tire of it.  I'm not proud of this quality, but I am learning to recognize it...or, I'm learning that my husband, as patient as he is, has a limit (and he has no romantic notions regarding owning a small farm).

Okay, back to my resolutions (I also tend to wander with my thoughts).  I've decided that my resolutions need to be small, attainable, and not include farming.  So, here's a few of the things I've resolved to do this year:

1.  Read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in one year.
I am using a You Version App on my tablet to accomplish this.  I am following the One Year Bible plan, which gives me a series of passages to read for the day, and I can check them off as I go.  I need things like this...check lists, that is.

2.  Introduce more of a variety of veggies into our diet this year.  I try hard to include veggies in our meals every day.  The kids are fairly good vegetable eaters, but I think we lack variety.  So, the other night I made brussel sprouts.  As a kid I hated them, but as an adult I've acquired a taste for them.  However, our kids have not.  If they thought in any way that they could have had me arrested for making them try a brussel sprout, I'd be sporting a nice orange jump suit, as we speak.  This resolution is going to take some getting used to.

3.  Organize our house, and free us from items we just don't use, or need.  Today, I began this project.  I am starting in the kitchen.  I removed all the items from our lower cabinets, sorted, tossed, placed in a donate pile, etc., and I think I'm off to a good start.

Emptying the contents of the cupboards onto the floor and counter....seriously, who needs all this stuff?

Containers, travel mugs, water bottles, oh my...

The finished product of one of the cupboard's...I may leave the doors open for a while,
just to admire my handiwork.  

So, my resolution list is not lengthy, or overly difficult, but I am already feeling better knowing that I've started checking things off.  Oh, and Dave's just grateful that we aren't purchasing farm land....yet.  I'll wear him down eventually.  :)